EASTENDERS Nick Cotton star John Altman has revealed the sweet gesture from soap bosses when he was killed off the show.
The actor left the programme in February 2015 as part of the show’s 30th anniversary celebrations in which his character was killed off.
EastEnders actor John Altman has revealed the sweet gesture from soap bosses after killing him off[/caption]
John was close to on-screen mum, June Brown[/caption]
He dished all on Saturday Night with Hayley Palmer (pictured with Francine Lewis)[/caption]
Nick died of a heroin overdose which left his mum Dot Cotton, played by the late June Brown, devestated.
Now, the actor has revealed the sweet gesture from then show boss, Dominic Treadwell Collins, to honour Nick’s iconic legacy on the BBC show.
John revealed all to Hayley Palmer at the filming of her show Saturday Night with Hayley Palmer at The Hippodrome in London.
He told Hayley: “Our producer Dominic – he appeared out of nowhere when June and I shot my last scene.
“He’d brought me some flowers with some silver cuff links and Nick Cotton 1985-2015 engraved onto the cufflinks.
The star went on to say of his final filming day on the BBC show: “It was all very emotional.
“I got emotional actually doing the scene and just on-set too.
“One of the Assistant Directors told me she’d vowed to ‘never get upset or emotional when I’m doing this programme’ and she actually said that me and June made her cry.
“When I watched it on the TV, the first time I watched it technically and looked at my performance.
“The second time I watched it, I remembered all the good times June and I had.
“I get really emotional thinking about it – I certainly had tears in my eyes [watching it].”
Elsewhere, he confessed how famed chain-smoker June once encouraged him to carry on smoking even after he had managed to kick the bad habit.
He revealed how June insisted smoking cigarettes helped him to “de-stress” and that he should pick the habit back up in order to feel calm.
John appeared on the show from the very beginning before bosses took the decision to kill off his character ten years ago.
The Sun also recently revealed how he had failed to keep in contact with any of his co-stars following the show.
During the taping for Hayley’s show, John revealed: “I don’t really keep in contact with any of the cast members.
“I just tend to see them at funerals or at charity nights – there’s been too many funerals.”
As well as chatting to John on her special show filmed at The Hippodrome in London, Hayley spoke to BGT icon Francine Lewis, politician Esther McVey and X Factor popstar, Chico.
Saturday Night With Hayley Palmer airs Saturdays on ChannelBox on Freeview channel 271.
Nasty Nick was a notorious villain[/caption]
